Bidwill's Graceades Cottage gets a $12,000 makeover

Good hands at work: Nepean Granite Transformations donated $12,000 to rebuild and restore the kitchen at Bidwill community centre Graceades Cottage.

The staff of Graceades Cottage captured the heart of Australia when they featured on SBS documentary Struggle Street.

Now Bidwill residents are jokingly telling cottage centre manager Ivanka Pelikan they might move in after Granite Transformations Nepean gave the centre a makeover worth $12,000.

Granite Transformations branch owner John Christie heard about the renovation initiative launched by 2GB radio presenter Ben Fordham to help the cottage and its community work and wanted to help.

Mr Christie donated a new kitchen and storage facilities to the community hub.

"Ivanka's brief was simple; she wanted added shelves and storage, new cabinetry and an extended bench space; however, we wanted to give her something extra special so we installed a completely new kitchen and a wall of shelves for the sewing machines."

Ms Pelikan said she was amazed: "I couldn't believe the generous offer," she said.

"I cried I was that happy."

Mr Christie said after watching the documentary he felt the community needed a helping hand.

"We gained great satisfaction out of doing this job," he said. "We were not alone in wanting to help. The generosity shown was amazing and we all felt proud to contribute to a worthwhile cause."

Ms Pelikan said the makeover has made the cottage "more welcoming" and given it a bigger sense of pride.

"The residents have even spent their own money to accessorise it which is something that rarely happens," she said.